Hunting Heroes: A Superhero Novel Read Online Free Page A

and body, each harder and faster than the one before. Some were blocked, most connected.
    Garrett threw a hard punch into one of his metal gauntlets and a loud clang echoed throughout the rooftop. “Son of…” he clutched his right hand.
    Shadow Guard gulped in the night air from the small break from the relentless attacks. He brought his hands down near his hips. The darkness, which hugged his body, began to swirl around him like water going down the drain.
    Garrett watched Shadow Guard and the darkness dancing around him. Shadow Guard pointed his outstretched arms at him and nothing seemed to happen. Garrett didn’t notice the darkness rise off the roof to form tentacles until they surged forward to ensnare him.
    Garrett’s threw his arms up, crossed at his wrists to protect himself. Seconds passed before Garrett peeked behind his raised forearms. The long tentacles broke and vanished when they tried to grasp Garrett.
    Garrett’s lips opened to reveal a toothy grin under his mask. “Looks like it didn’t work too well for you.” Garrett sprinted forward into the tentacles, they disappeared with each step.
    Garrett did his best to ignore the pain in his right hand. He leaped forward when he neared Shadow Guard. His throbbing right fist led the way. He connected with the side of Shadow Guard’s head and followed with a cross punch. He nailed Shadow Guard square on the chin, causing Shadow Guards head to jerk upwards. Garrett finished with an elbow to Shadow Guard’s face and sent the hero face down to the rooftop.
    “Good fight,” Garrett crouched down next to his fallen opponent.
    Garrett closed his eyes when he placed his gloved hand on Shadow Guard’s back. He wasn’t sure how to take the power of another Afflicted, the last two times were accidents. Then he felt something stir within the superhero. It fought back against his touch. Whatever fueled Shadow Guard’s power was not ready to leave the hero.
    “Looks like you need little more,” Garrett said.
    “It’s not over yet,” Shadow Guard eyes snapped open and he pushed himself up into a spin. His elbow smacked Garrett in the eye, and sent him tumbling off his feet onto his back.
    Shadow Guard took advantage of his attack and scuttled across the roof on his hands and knees. He stopped near the edge of the rooftop where it was darkest.
    Shadow Guard slammed his fists into the rooftop. “Why won’t you work? Why are you denying me?”
    Garrett lay on his back and watched the stars before his eyes. “This was not a good idea,” he coughed out his words. He rolled onto his side and pushed himself up.
    Shadow Guard rose to his feet and brought his right arm straight down. Shadows dripped and slithered down off his arm and hung in the air before they touched the ground. The shadow shifted and flattened to form a blade, an extension of his right arm.
    “Who are you?” Shadow Guard said.
    “I’m a guy who doesn’t like the Afflicted,” Garrett locked on the shadow sword. “It’s time someone taught the Assembly they are not indestructible.”
    “You choose to stand against us?” Shadow Guard said.
    “Something like that,” Garrett said.
    Shadow Guard charged Garrett with his shadow blade raised over his head. Garrett dropped into a defensive stance. He was not sure if he should test his immunity further or move out of the way of the attack.
    Garrett narrowly sidestepped the blade when Shadow Guard attempted to cleave him in two. When the blade whistled past Garrett, Shadow Guard formed another blade with his left hand. Garrett never saw the left blade. All he felt was the metal fist when it made contact with his chest.
    “It’s over,” Shadow Guard whispered. The hidden blade skewered Garret where he stood. “The blade is not meant to kill, only to immobilize you.”
    Garrett stifled a laugh. “You’re going to have to try harder hero.”
    Garrett reached up, grabbed a handful of Shadow Guards newly exposed hair, and pulled him away.